A few weeks after I returned to Jordan from home leave, Kail and I took a day trip to visit Ajloun Castle, a 12th-century Muslim castle built as a defense against the Crusaders. While we had both traveled to Ajloun before for work and personal trips, including hikes on the Jordan Trail and olive picking, it was our first visit to the castle.
Ajloun Castle is situated atop a hill about three kilometers from the town center, and boasts sweeping views of the Jordan Valley. Its strategic position allowed it to be part of a chain of beacons for messages to be transmitted from Damascus to Cairo within a day.
We did our own self-guided tour, exploring the castle’s many chambers and towers. It was a beautiful, temperate November day (I wouldn’t use the word “crisp,” exactly, like I would to describe a pleasant autumn day in the U.S., but it wasn’t oven-temperature hot anymore).
We were pleased to see several groups of international and Jordanian tourists. After our tour, we headed partway back down the hill to the visitor center and had a light lunch at Summaga Cafe.
It was a nice day trip and could easily be paired with a visit to Jerash (not in July). We’ll definitely be making a return trip!What are your favorite day trips where you live?
[…] the past several months, we’ve taken Piopio to the Dead Sea, Jerash, Ajloun Castle, Mount Nebo, the Amman Citadel (twice), Iraq Al-Amir (a first visit for both Kail and me), the […]
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